HILLIARD MAYOR’S COURT

DUI / OVI & CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER

MY CASE IN THE HILLIARD MAYOR’S COURT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

If you were pulled over and charged with a criminal, DUI or traffic offense within the Hilliard city limits, your charges will likely be filed in the Hilliard Mayor’s Court. Mayor’s courts are unique courts to Ohio. In fact, Ohio and Louisiana are the only states in the U.S. that have them. Basically, mayor’s courts are small part-time courts presided over by the mayor (or an appointee of the mayor). Mayor’s courts handle traffic and criminal misdemeanor cases that happened within the city limits.

I WAS PULLED OVER AND CHARGED WITH AN OVI IN THE HILLIARD MAYOR’S COURT. SHOULD I GET A LAWYER?

We recommend to all of our clients and potential clients that you at least talk with an attorney about your case — even if you don’t decide to hire a lawyer in the end. Talking to a DUI attorney can help you understand the potential penalties you are facing, which can include fines, licenses suspensions and even jail time. With so much at stake, you should know your option and your rights before doing anything in court.

If you hire us, we can use our experience defending OVI cases to examine several key pieces of evidence. For example, whether the arresting officer properly issued all required warnings, properly administered all of the roadside field sobriety tests, and performed the search, tests and arrest lawfully. We can then use this information to challenge the field sobriety or breath alcohol test or make other challenges to the prosecutor’s evidence.

CAN I HAVE A JURY TRIAL IN THE HILLIARD MAYOR’S COURT?

No. The Hilliard Mayor’s Court, like all Ohio Mayor’s Courts, are not courts of record and are cannot hold jury trials.

However, if you are charged with a DUI or other criminal matter in the Hilliard Mayor’s Court and want to take your case to a jury, you have the right to transfer your case to the Franklin County Municipal Court. In fact, you can transfer your case to the Franklin County Municipal Court at any time for any reason.

AM I BETTER OFF IN THE HILLIARD MAYOR’S COURT OR HAVING MY CASE HEARD IN THE FRANKLIN COUNTY MUNICIPAL COURT?

It depends. There are pros and cons to each court depending on the specifics of your case. There may be some advantages, however, to having your case heard first in the Hilliard Mayor’s Court. F or example, a hearing in the Hilliard Mayor’s Court is generally more informal and may be more conveniently located for you than the downtown Franklin County Municipal Court.

Talking to an experienced criminal defense attorney practicing in the Hilliard Mayor’s Court can give you specific advice for your situation on this issue.

I WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH AN OVI (OR OTHER CRIMINAL CHARGE) IN THE HILLIARD MAYOR’S COURT. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

If you are charged with an OVI or other criminal charge in Hilliard, the first thing you should do is contact a local attorney. He or she can give you advice specific to your situation and can help you navigate the Hilliard Mayor’s Court criminal process.

For general information regarding the court procedure you can likely expect in the Hilliard Mayor’s Court, see the video below featuring Hilliard area DUI attorney Douglas Riddell.

After your first court appearance (the “arraignment”), your lawyer will continue to gather information about the facts of your case. This will likely include “discovery” which means that the prosecutor is required by law to give to you and your attorney a copy of all of the evidence they have against you. The prosecution is barred from hiding any evidence from you — no surprises are allowed.

Once your attorney gets the discovery packet, he or she will read it, view the video of your arrest if there is one, and start identifying flaws in the prosecution’s case. As your defense strategy builds, your attorney can use this information and these flaws in the prosecution’s case to negotiate for a favorable resolution. This could include the best possible options for reinstatement of your driver’s license. If negotiations fail, motion hearings and a trial may be necessary to ensure the best possible outcome.

WHERE IS THE HILLIARD MAYOR’S COURT?

The Hilliard Mayor’s Courtis located at 5171 Northwest Parkway in Hilliard, Ohio. Keep in mind that this is in a different building from the Hilliard Mayor’s Office. If you are using Google Maps on your phone, it might automatically take you to the Mayor’s Office — which is on a different street a few minutes away. Just make sure you type in the Northwest Parkway address if you need to visit the Hilliard Mayor’s Court.

I WANT LEGAL ADVICE ABOUT MY HILLIARD MAYOR’S COURT CRIMINAL CASE. WHO SHOULD I CALL?

You can call to speak with one of our attorneys 24/7. Our number is (614) 361-2804. We offer free consultations so feel free to call us with any questions about your Hilliard Mayor’s Court case and we can see how we can help.

Hilliard Mayor’s Court Resources

To begin the process and discuss representation for your Hilliard, Ohio DUI / OVI, call Attorney Doug Riddell directly at 614-361-2804. Because we know DUI charges rarely happen during 9:00-5:00 working hours, Mr. Riddell is there to take your call after hours, on evenings, weekends, and holidays.

The information on this website is for general purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.